Systematic Review of Plant AQPs: Molecular mechanisms, intracellular trafficking, and emerging roles in stress adaptation

Aquaporins (AQPs) are integral membrane proteins that play essential roles in maintaining water and solute homeostasis across all domains of life. In plants, more than 30 AQP isoforms are commonly expressed, each displaying distinct spatial and temporal patterns depending on cell type, membrane localization, and developmental stage. This systematic review traces the historical development of plant AQP research, with particular emphasis on the mechanisms regulating their activity, including structural and conformational modifications as well as transcriptomic regulation, which modulates AQP abundance and function in response to environmental and physiological cues. The review highlights the physiological roles of AQPs and their contribution to adaptation under diverse physiological stresses, drawing on evidence from 229 publications spanning 1992 to 2025. Following the PRISMA protocol and through bibliometric analysis, current knowledge is synthesized regarding cell-specific AQP functions, subfamily-specific modulation, and interactions with hormonal signaling pathways. Emerging evidence for AQPs as cation channels is also discussed, alongside the insights provided by transcriptomic studies into AQP regulation under stress conditions. By integrating historical context with an updated critical synthesis, this review underscores the complexity and versatility of plant AQPs and the multilayered regulatory networks that govern their activity, while identifying persistent knowledge gaps and avenues for future research. • Comprehensive synthesis of plant aquaporins molecular mechanisms and regulation • Aquaporins contribute to physiological processes like photosynthesis and germination • Aquaporins bridge stress perception with adaptive physiological responses in plants • Potential aquaporins identified as molecular targets for crop stress adaptation